1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a rubber cylinder sleeve for an offset printing press.
2. Description of the Related Art
EP 0 421 145 B1 discloses a rubber cylinder sleeve in which a carrier sleeve is provided with a rubber covering. In various embodiments, it is disclosed that the rubber covering includes four or more layers. Owing to the multilayer structure, the fabrication of the rubber cylinder sleeve is complicated and the sleeve is correspondingly expensive.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a rubber cylinder sleeve that is constructed simply.
This and other objects are achieved using a single-layer construction wherein the rubber cylinder sleeve can be produced cost-effectively with little complexity.
A rubber cylinder sleeve for an offset printing press includes an inner carrier sleeve that has a circumferential and an axial direction. The carrier is expandable outwardly by an application of compressed air from the interior. The rubber cylinder sleeve also includes a single layer rubber covering having an inner surface disposed on the inner carrier sleeve and an outer surface for contacting a printing plate. The single rubber layer includes a plurality of compressible elements for increasing the compressibility of the single rubber layer and/or a plurality of filaments for increasing the stiffness of the single rubber layer. The compressible elements and the filaments are spaced from the outer surface.
In one or more embodiments, the density of the compressible elements and/or the filaments are varied through the single rubber layer so as to advantageously change the compressibility and/or stiffness of the rubber layer.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.